Enforcing Immigration Law Is More Important Than Building the Wall

Nov 30, 2016

RUSH: Here’s David in Boston. Dave, great to have you on the program. Hello, sir.

CALLER: Hey, Rush. Thank you. I’m calling to tell you that I’m excited about the physical barrier that’s gonna be constructed along our border to Mexico, because it’s gonna impact a lot more than just border security. I think it’s gonna be President Trump’s first opportunity to show that America can get things done under good leadership just like a great generation did back in World War II, and I think it’s gonna turn it into a monument of the new American attitude that we’re gonna have.

RUSH: Let me ask you a question, Dave.

CALLER: Yeah?

RUSH: What happens if the wall doesn’t get built?

CALLER: I think… you were talking earlier about his instincts and his focus on accomplishments. It has to get done, and I think… I’m in the construction industry. He can get it done about by the end of the summer. It’s not rocket science.

RUSH: Well, I know, he’s said that. He said he can get it done, get it cheaper and he can have a much nicer looking wall, a beautiful wall with a big, big-ass door in this wall.

CALLER: And one thing I was thinking about as far as how… I don’t think he’s gonna lose face on Mexicans not paying because all we have to do — I looked it up in Wikipedia. It’ll save sort of $51 million a year if that’s correct. But we’ll withhold the money that we’re giving them right now with aid.

RUSH: There’s any number of accounting tricks that you could perform to at the end of the claim the Mexicans had paid for the wall. (interruption) I know he didn’t answer the question. Well, he did answer. I asked him what he’s gonna do if the wall doesn’t get built and his answer was, “It’s gonna get built. He’s gotta build it! He’s gotta build it. Oh, my God, if he doesn’t build the wall, jeez! Carrier shmarrier if he doesn’t build a wall.”

I don’t know whether he’s gonna build a wall. My friends, I want to be honest with you: I have never thought… I think I’ve even said this a couple times through the campaign. This is what so frustrates the people who count themselves as Trump critics. I, for one, have never believed that there’s actually going to be a multiple-thousand-mile wall. What I do believe is, the first thing that’s gonna happen after Jeff Sessions succeeds in enduring his confirmation hearings — and they’re gonna Bork him.

Actually, they’re gonna Ashcroft him. But they’re gonna try to weaken Sessions so that when he’s confirmed, he doesn’t have any legitimacy. That’s the only thing they can do with Trump and all of his appointees. First thing they have to do… First thing… No, not have to do. The first thing to do to make the biggest difference in the world to immigration, is simply enforce the law! With that move alone you would stop it.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: No, no, no, no. I am not avoiding anything. But I want to the answer the guy’s question that he didn’t answer about the wall. What happens if Trump didn’t build the wall? Do you realize, ladies and…? I tell you, I think the first thing that’s gonna happen is that immigration law on the books is going to be enforced. The whole problem that we have… May I be honest? Solving immigration has always been about saving two things: Our economy and our culture. Solving illegal, mass illegal immigration such as that brought to us by the Washington establishment.

We have how many untold refugees from war-torn areas of the world who have not been vetted. One of them just engaged in an act of terrorism at Ohio State. They’re all over this country because they haven’t been vetted. They have been let into this country for irresponsible reasons — typical, irresponsible, left-wing liberal reasons: Compassion, understanding, tolerance, or what have you. I actually think the reasons are much worse and much different.

I think illegal immigration is one of the tools the left has been using to undermine the majority of this country from the days of our founding, and nobody will convince me otherwise. Illegal immigration has always also been a way to keep the Democrat Party provided with a permanent underclass of potential voters who are in constant economic need because they don’t speak English. They’re low-skilled, and they haven’t the ability to provide for themselves.

The Democrat Party is happy to do that under the auspices of the federal government, making them permanent, never ending, always-voting-Democrat people. So the primary objective here is to save the United States economy and to save the United States culture from being overrun. Trump tweeted about the Ohio State terrorist should not have even been in the country. He’s absolutely right. The objective I believe Donald Trump has is precisely to keep people out of this country who should not be here.

And the way you do that? The first step you take is enforce existing law. The law that we have is fine. It’s multifaceted and would take care of the vast percentage, vast majority of illegal immigrants who are in the country or who are crossing into the country now. There are five laws that Trump could enforce immediately. Number one is to deport illegal aliens. Number two is to complete the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which both Hillary and Obama voted for. Number three, enforce the laws that punish employers for hiring illegals.

Number four, end sanctuary cities, and, number five, enforce the laws prohibiting welfare to illegal aliens. That’s what… If those five laws… They already exist. We don’t need new legislation. We have cities in violation. We have government in violation. We have employers in violation. If these laws already on the books… We already have a fence law. If these laws already passed by the elected representatives of the people were simply enforced, the impact on illegal immigration would be profound.

And you could do all of that while you’re building a wall if you intend to, but you wouldn’t even need to build the wall to do any of those things. You need the resolve to do it. The sanctuary city people are not gonna cave in. At least not easily. Employers are always gonna be tempted to hire cheap labor. But the real criticism that the majority of American citizens have, this is a law-and-order issue, and it is a rule-of-law issue.

And we have had too many years of the United States government not enforcing its own laws, and that’s what’s rubbed people wrong. That’s what has enraged people. That simple fact explains so much of the opposition to the Washington establishment. Just that. By not enforcing the laws, the country’s economy is under siege and our culture is under siege. And then, after Democrats were elected and it appeared that is what they wanted, then the energy to resist it became even greater, and that’s why Donald Trump’s been elected.

And I’m just here to tell those of you in the media and those of you in the left, if Donald Trump doesn’t build a wall but nevertheless enforces immigration law, everything’s gonna be fine with his supporters, because the objective is not to build a wall. The objective is not to have a tourist location. “Wow, go look at the wall Trump built!” The objective is to save the U.S. economy and the United States culture, and if the enforcement of already existing law can accomplish a good part of that, then people will be more than happy that it’s been done.

Now, I don’t know whether there’s gonna be a wall built — and if there is, how big, how many miles — or any of that. We’ll just have to wait and see. All I’m trying to tell you is that if Trump doesn’t build a wall, it’s not gonna be a strike against him as far as I’m concerned. I’m not gonna take to the air, “See? He lied! He didn’t mean that.” That’s not… If he doesn’t enforce the immigration laws, then that’s gonna be problems. If nothing changes where illegal immigration’s concerned, that’s where he’s gonna have a problem.

But if the effort is made to fix this, and it’s a serious effort, and if it succeeds, and if Trump hangs in and commits on his real pledge, and that is to end this, the fact that there’s a wall or not will be incidental. You disagree with that, Mr. Snerdley? Because I think it’s about the substance, not the symbols. The wall in Mr. Trump’s campaign has always been, as far as I’m concerned, symbolic. “Mexico’s paying for the wall!” Mexico paying for the wall has also been symbolic. It has a specific meaning.

But the people that do not get Trump are never gonna understand this about him. They’re never gonna see this. I don’t know that they’re even going to be capable of it.